How can I handle a backlog of several projects?

[Brain Saleem]

Hi, 

In order to set up JIRA, I created projects for each of the primary applications that we develop and support. Every project has a separate backlog. All of the projects' backlogs are being managed in one location.

I now know how to use a filter to see problems between different projects. After that, I made a board with that filter applied, which is excellent for use with running sprints. This works since it organises the items by Sprint when I select the backlog view. But since there are no sprints for such backlogs, all that is left is a very long list. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[Trudy Claspill]

@Brain Saleem 

There is a nearly identical post under a different user name. Are both these posts actually from you?

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/How-manage-backlog-with-multiple-projects/qaq-p/2238121

[Brain Saleem]

no, I posted my own issue this post is not from me.

[Trudy Claspill]

Adding a note about @Aaron Brady 's response:

Issues can be assigned to one and only one Active or Planned sprint at a time. Once you start adding issues to sprints in the consolidated backlog, if the individual product backlogs are scrum boards then those sprints from the consolidated backlog will start showing up in the individual product backlogs. The use of sprints in the product backlogs for time boxing work would interfere with the use of sprints in the consolidated backlog for grouping each products issues.

@Brain Saleem 

Are you in fact using separate Agile boards for each product, or do you have only one Agile board that consolidates all the issues for all the products, or do you have both?

Are the product teams going to work with the Scrum methodology and use Sprints to time box their work, or are they going to work with the Kanban methodology?

If using Scrum, will the teams be managing their sprints from your consolidated backlog board?

[Aaron Brady]

Welcome to the community, Brian!

I may be misunderstanding your question, and if so, please let me know. You created a bunch of projects for each of the primary applications. Each on has its own backlog, and you even used a board query to create a new board that consolidated all of the backlog items onto a single backlog. Now the problem is that you have a giant list without any sprints to organize the work?

If that is correct, then I think I have an easy answer. On the consolidated scrum board, you can create sprints and then drag the various backlog items from the other projects into them. They never have to become active and can be used as a way of organizing the backlog. 

Hope that helps!

Aaron